Cigar accumulator



May 14, 1963 F. A. CRAIG ETAL 3,089,297

CIGAR ACCUMULATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 14 FIG. I

INVENTORS FRANCIS A. CRAIG By FRANK HOLLENTON ATTORN EY May 14, 1963 F.A. CRAIG ETAL 3,039,297

CIGAR ACCUMULATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FRANCISA. CRAIG FRANK HOLLENTON ATTORNEY May 14, 1963 F. A. CRAIG ETAL CIGARACCUMULATQR 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 8, 1960 FIG. 3

INVENTORS FRANCIS A. CRAIG By FRANK HOLLENTON ATTCRHEY May 14, 1963' F.A. CRAIG ETAL CIGAR ACCUMULATOR 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 8, 1960 FIG.4

INVENTORS FRANCIS A. CRAIG BY FRANK HOLLENTON W FA May 14, 1963 F. A.CRAIG ETAL CIGAR ACCUMULATOR 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 8, 1960 FIG.5

FIG. 6

INVENTORS.

FRANCIS A. CRAlG FRANK HOLLENTON ATTORNEY y 1963 F. A. CRAIG ETAL3,089,297

CIGAR ACCUMULATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTORS.

FRANCIS A. CRAIG BY FRANK HOLLENTON ATTORNEY May 14, 1963 F. A. CRAIGETAL 3,089,297

CIGAR ACCUMULATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 8 L Z5 INVENTORS.

FRANCIS A. CRAIG BY FRANK HOLLENTON ATTORNEY United States Thisinvention relates to cigar handling machines, particularly to cigaraccumulators, and more particularly to apparatus for automaticallycollecting and stacking cigars in a collection box as the cigars aredelivered from a cigar making machine.

Continuous web feeds of reconstituted tobacco binder and wrapper haveinaugurated fully automatic cigar machines and this necessitates thatmeans be provided for automatically accumulating and stacking cigars asthey are delivered from the cigar machine, and then transferring thestacked cigars into a collection box. Accordingly, it is an object ofthe invention to provide a cigar accumulating apparatus of the foregoingtype which is fully automatic in operation and may be used withconventional cigar making machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which isoperated independently of the cigar machine, with means on the cigarmachine to deliver cigars to the independent accumulator.

Still another object is toprovide a cigar accumulating apparatus which:can collect cigars from a cigar machine without the necessity foraccurate timing of the accumulator with the cigar machine.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus which accumulates cigarsdelivered from a cigar machine and automatically stacks the cigars inrows of predetermined number.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus with automatic meanstotrans-fer the stacked rows of cigars into a collection box when aselected number of rows have been stacked, without interrupting theaccumulation of cigars from the cigar machine.

A still further object of the invention is toprovide an apparatus foraccumulating and stacking cigars and then transferring said stackedcigars to a collection box, in

which apparatus the various operations are automatically controlled bythe number of cigars delivered from a cigar machine irrespective of therate or continuity of such cigar delivery.

It is also an object to provide a cigar accumulator which is ecomonicalto construct, readily transportable and conveniently installed adjacentthe delivery station of conventional cigar making machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means fordelivering cigars from a cigar machine to an accumulator, which meansare operable in synchronism with the cigar machine independently of theaccumulator.

With the foregoing and other object not specifically mentioned in view,the accumulator apparatus of the present invention comprises a pair ofendless toothed conveyor belts running over pulleys mounted on aframework which is located adjacent the delivery station of a cigarmachine, the belts being motor driven independently of and at a speed ofabout twice that of the cigar machine. Cigars can thus be collected inthe pockets between the teeth of the conveyor belts without thenecessity of timing the belts with the rate of cigar delivery from thecigar machine, since each cigar as it is delivered sideways from thecigar machine will fall into a pair of empty belt pockets and then bepositively conveyed to a station where the cigars are accumulatedside-by-side in rows of predetermined number.

As the cigars are conveyed over one end of the belts atent "ice they aredropped into the path of a reciprocable pushing device, operable insynchronism with the belts, which pushes the cigars sideways onto a pairof parallel runners, during which operation each cigar trips a switch inan electrical control circuit to actuate a counter and step a rotaryswitch. When a predetermined number of cigars have been advanced alongthe runners, the rotary switch energizes a relay in a circuit which setsoff a single revolution electrical clutch to cause a cam shaft to makeone revolution during which a cam and its associated follower actuatelinkages causing the cigar runners to momentarily spread apart and dropthe row of cigars onto an underlying platform.

Each time a row of cigars is so deposited on the platform, the platformis indexed downwardly a predermined amount corresponding to the diameterof the cigars. To that end, the platform is mounted on a pair ofvertical racks which are in engagement with a pair of meshing gears, asingle-acting spring clutch on one gear shaft being normally engaged topermit only downward movement of the rack, the predetermined movementbeing accomplished by means of another single-acting spring clutch onthe other gear shaft, which clutch is normally disengaged butoperatively engaged to impart a predetermined angular movement to itsassociated gear from linkages taking their motion from a cam on theaforementioned cam shaft rotatable by the single revolution electricalclutch.

When a selected number of rows of cigars having been stacked on theplatform, a pusher plate is actuated to push the stacked cigans endwiseoff the platform and into a collection box removably supported on abracket at tached to the frame of the accumulator. The pusher isactuated from the aforementioned cam shaft through linkages normallyheld against movement by a latch which is releasable by the platformwhen the latter is in its lowermost position. A

After the pusher plate has unloaded the cigars it reciprocates to theback and off the platform under the action of its associated cam and inthe rearmost position urges a pivotally suspended linger downwardly todisengage the normally engaged single acting clutch. A counterweightsuspend-ed from a chain passed over the gear hubs and coupled to one ofsaid hubs thereupon is free to drop and thereby raise the cigar stackingplatform to its uppermost position. The upward movement of the platformis stopped and the platform again locked against other than downwardmovement by mean-s of 3. lug on the counterweight chain which trips theaforesaid pivotable finger out of clutch disengaging position againstthe normally engaged single acting spring clutch.

Means are provided on the cigar machine for delivering cigars to thebelts of the independent accumulator, and include a trough-like memberinto which cigars are dropped from the delivery chute of theconventional cigar knurling device. A reciprocable pushing device,taking its motion from the reciprocable wrapper die cutting rollers ofthe cigar machine, is adapted to slide the cigans along the trough intothe path of vertically reciprocating lifting fingers, operating throughslots in the trough in synchronism with the pusher, to raise cigars upover the edge of the trough onto a ramp disposed above the cigarreceiving end of the toothed conveyor belts on the accumulator.

The objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of the parts thereof will bemore fully understood from the following description, of a preferredembodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the cigar accumulator 3 positionedadjacent the cigar delivery station of a cigar machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the same;

FIGS. 3 and 4 when joined at the line AA show an enlarged end view ofthe cigar accumulator taken from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an intermediate horizontal section showing the arrangement ofthe platform racks and associated gears and clutches, and the cam shaftand its associated single revolution clutch;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the mechanism for pushingcigars onto the runners of the accumulator, as seen from the rear ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-section through the cigar runners and thestacking platform;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the pusher plate andassociated mechanism for sliding stacked rows of cigars off theplatform;

FIG. 9 is a front View of the mechanism for delivering cigars from thecigar machine;

FIG. 10 is a side view of same;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary and partly sectional view of themechanism for pushing cigars onto the accumulator runners; and

FIG. 12 is a pictorial wiring diagram of the electrical control systemof the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the accumulator apparatus of the presentinvention is shown mounted in a generally rectangular framework 1positioned adjacent the cigar delivery station 2 of a conventional cigarmaking machine. The accumulator frame mounts a pair of endless conveyorbelts 3 and 4 travelling in spaced side-by-side relation respectivelyover pulleys 5, 6 and 7, 8 rotating on shafts 9 and 10 journalled inbrackets 11 and 12 atop the accumulator frame 1. The belts 3 and 4 arespaced apart less than the length of a cigar and the outer surfacesthereof are provided with toothlike projections 13 forming pockets 14 toreceive the ends of cigars 15 and thereby continuously collect them asthey are delivered from the cigar delivery station 2 by mechanism to bedescribed hereinafter. Belt pulley shaft 9 is provided with a sprocket16 coupled by a chain 17 to a sprocket 18 on a shaft 19 extending from atransmission box 20 supported on a bracket 21 in the bottom of theaccumulator framework, an'electric motor 22 providing the drive for thecollector belts 3 and 4 through the transmission just described. Thecigar collector belts 3 and 4 are driven at a speed such that thepockets 14 pass the cigar delivery station 2 at a rate about twice thatat which cigars are delivered, thereby insuring that each deliveredcigar will be collected in a pair of individual pockets 14 without thenecessity of timing the accumulator belts 3 and 4 with the cigarmachine, it being a matter of indifference whether or not the cigars areuniformly spaced along the collector belts 3 and 4. The upper laps ofthe belts may be steadied by means of an underlying ramp 23 theunderside of which is connected to angles 2'4 suitably supported on rods25 and 26 extending transversely of and between the belt laps andrespectively fixed in a bracket 27 and bosses 28 on the accumulatorframe.

As the cigars come off the end of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 as thelatter travel around pulleys 6 and S, the cigar ends are alined and thecigars are then collected in successive rows of predetermined number bymeans now to be described.

A pair of arcuate guide plates 29 and 3(1 surround the belts 3 and 4where they pass around pulleys 6 and 8, the guide plates beingEadjusta'bly supported on a bracket 31. The guide plates serve tocontain the cigars in the belt pockets 14 until the cigars reach aposition above a shelf 32 where the guide plates terminate and permitthe cigars to drop to the shelf.

The means for aligning the cigar ends is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. Thelower laps of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 respectively pass overcogwheels 33 and 34 mounted on a shaft 35 one end of which is journalledin a bearing 36 on a bracket 37. A gear 38 on shaft 35 meshes with agear 39 fixed on a shaft 40 journalled in bracket 3-7 and a second gear41 fixed on shaft 40 meshes with a gear 42 fixed on a shaft '43 alsojournalled in bracket 37 and mounting a crown cam 44. A lever 45 isfulcrumed at 46 to a bracket 47. One end of the lever 45 is providedwith a cam roller 48 which is maintained in contact with the crown cam44 by means of a tension spring 49 working between the roller end of thelever and the frame member 56. The other end of lever 45 is horizontallyand vertically bifurcated and received over a horizontal rod 51r-eciprocable in a boss 52 on bracket 53, a transverse pin 54 in rod 51serving to couple the lever to the rod. The rod 51 is positioned to bereciprocated in line with the cigar pockets 14 on the belts 3 and 4 at apoint just before the cigars leave the guide plates 29' and 30 and dropto the shelf 32. The rod 51 is provided with a cap 55. It is obviousthat since the rod 51 is .reciprocable through the kinematic .tr-ainjust describedin timed relation with the speed of the collector belts 3and 4, it is adapted to reciprocate forwardly each time it is alinedwith the pockets 14 in belts 3 and 4, whereby cigars which may bepresent in said pockets are gently and slight- -ly pushed lengthwise toa predetermined position such that cigars passing this point in spacedside-by-side relation are positioned with their ends properly alined forsubsequent operations in the accumulator apparatus, these being thecollection of the cigars in rows of predetermined number, stacking saidrows and then transferring said stacked rows into a collection box.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 11, the gear 41 which isrotated from the cogwheel shaft 35 through gears 38 and 39 is meshedwith a gear 56 fixed to a shaft 57 journalled in bracket 37 and to whichshaft is fixed a crank disc 58. An adjustable link rod 59 at one end ispivota bly coupled at 60 to the face of the disc 58 and at its other endis adjustably coupled to a slotted arm 61 fixed to a rock shaft 62 whichis journalled in a bracket 63 and terminates in a collar 64. Anotherrock shaft 65 in alinement with rock shaft 62 is journalled in verticalplate brackets 66 and 67 and is provided at one end with a looselymounted collar 68 which abuts the collar 64 on rock shaft 62. A collar69 is fixed to shaft 65, spaced from loosely mounted collar 68 andcoupled thereto by means of a torsion spring 72 working over shaft 65.Motion from shaft 62 is transmitted to shaft 65 by means of a finger 70on collar 64 working against a pin 71 on collar 68 which in turn rocksshaft 65 by means of the torsion spring 72 coupling the collars 68 and69. This permits lost motion between shafts 62 and 65 under certainconditions to be described hereinafter.

Fixed to the rock shaft 65 between plate brackets 66 and 67 is anoscillatable arm 73 (FIGS. 2, 3, 6- and 11) which extends upwardly andis coupled to a cigar pushing device 75. The cigar pusher is generallyU-shaped in plan, and the horizontal arms 76 and 77 are spaced apartless than the length of a cigar and slidable in guides 78 and 79disposed in back of the platform 32 on which cigars are deposited fromthe collector belts 3 and 4. The cross member 80 connecting the arms ofthe pusher 75 is provided with a central boss or block 81 which is boredand slidably received over a rod 82 fixed in a bracket 83. Dependingfrom the block 81 are a pair of spaced bifurcated lugs 84 and 85,between which lugs is received the upper end of arm 73. The arm 73 isretained between the lugs 84 and 85 by means of a pin 74 extendingthrough the bifurcated lugs. As the pusher 75is reciprocated insynchronism with the collector belts 3 and 4 from which the pusher takesits motion, it pushes cigars deposited on the shelf 32 sideways onto apair of spaced parallel runners 87 and 88 to be collected in a row ofpredetermined number. As may be seen in FIG. 11, each time the pusherarm 73 oscillates forwardly and simultaneously reciprocates the pusher75 to the position shown in broken lines, a cigar on platform 32 ispushed onto the runners 87 and 88, only one of which is shown in thisview. A gravity biased weight 86 pivotally suspended from a bracket 89is pushed and swung upwardly out of the way by the movement of eachcigar as it is pushed off the platform 32 onto the runners 87 and 88,the weight swinging back each time to act as a check to prevent cigarsreturning to the platform 32 after they have been received on therunners. If for any reason a blockage should occur to prevent cigarsfrom being freely pushed onto the runners 87 and 88, their mutilation bythe pusher 7 5 would be prevented because the light torsion spring 72 isadapted to yield under an obstruction to the pusher 75 to provide lostmotion between rock shafts 6'2 and 65 through which the pusher 75derives its movements.

The shelf 32 on which cigars are deposited before being pushed onto therunners is provided with a central slot 90 and extending upwardlytherethrough is one end of a finger 91 which is in interfering relationto cigars as they are pushed off the shelf. The other end of the fingeris disposed beneath and behind the shelf 32, is pivoted on a shaft 92and counter-weighted by means of a vertical bar 93 attached to the shaft92 and depending therefrom. The lower end of the bar 93 is provided witha notch 94 within which is received a pivotable actuating arm 95 of aswitch 96 in the electrical control system of the present invention tobe described hereinafter. At this point it is sufficient to mention thatas each cigar passes over finger 91 it is depressed to actuate theswitch 96.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7, the cigar runners 87 and 88 consist ofa pair of parallel angle irons spaced apart approximately the width of acigar, a leg of each angle extending horizontally towards one other tosupport the ends of cigars being pushed therealong. The runners .87 and88 are respectively connected to vertical arms 97 and 98 which in turnare fixed to horizontal shafts 99 and 180 which are oscillatablyjournalled in brackets 101 and 1102 supported from horizontal framemembers 183 and 184. The shafts 99 and 188 are adapted to swing apartrunners 87 and 88 to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 7 inorder to drop a row of a predetermined number of cigars onto anunderlying platform 185 and then return the runners to the normalposition shown in full lines for collecting a further row of cigars,this being accomplished through an electrical control system for themechanism involved, the switch 106 shown in FIG. 7 as being actuated bythe outswing runner 87 being a part of the control circuit.

The oscillatable shafts 99 and 108 are provided with fixed arms 187 and1418 the extremities of which are connected by links 1189 and 110 toarms 111 and .112 fixed to an oscillatable shaft 113 journalled on framemembers 103 and 1. An arm 114 fixed to the rear end of the shaft 113 isconnected by means of a vertical link 115 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) to one armof a lever r116 fulcrum ed to the frame at 117 and having on its otherarm a roller 118 (FIGS. 4 and 5) following a cam 119 on a hollow camshaft 120 journalled in frame members 121 and 122. A tension spring 124(FIG. 1) working between lever 116 and frame member 1125 urges the leverroller 118 against the cam 1119. A switch '123 (FIGS. 1 and 5) forms apart of the electrical system (to be described) and is actuated by anarm 126 carrying a roller 127 in engagement with the cam 1 19.

The shaft 19 extending from the transmission housing 28 of the motordrive is provided with a sprocket 128 connected by a chain 129 to asprocket 1311 fixed on a shaft 131 extending through and rotatablewithin the cam shaft 121}. The cam shaft is adapted to be givenintermittent rotation through one revolution by means of a singlerevolution electrical clutch 132, the members 133 and 134 of which arerespectively fixed to drive shaft 131 and cam shaft 1241.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7, there are shown associated with thecigar runners 87 and 88 respectively angle irons 135 and 136 with oneleg of each disposed vertically within and alongside the correspondinglydisposed legs of the runners 87 and 88 and the other leg of eachextending inwardly thereby forming with the runners means formaintaining the ends of the cigars in alinement during the instant a rowof cigars begins to drop as the runners 87 and 88 swing out. The guideangles 135 and 136 are supported from brackets 137 and 138 fixed to rods139 and 140 on the frame 1.

To ensure that each row of cigars is dropped as quickly and evenly aspossible to the underlying platform 105, means are provided for engagingthe top of the entire row of cigars and following the row of cigarsdownward to the platform and then returning to elevated position abovethe next row of cigars to be formed.

The oscillatable shaft 113, which through previously described linkagesmomentarily spreads apart cigar runners 8'7 and 88, has fixed thereto anarm 141 which as a consequence is oscillata-ble down and up insynchronism with the swinging out and return of the runners 87 and 88.The end of the arm 141 engages the bottom of a roller 142 on a pin 158extending through a pair of spaced vertical brackets 1'43 and 144 to thebottoms of which are joined a pair of parallel enlongated bars '145 and1 46 extending horizontally between runners 87 and 88, the bottom edgesof the bars being disposed close to the top of the row of cigars on therunners. The brackets 143 and 144 are coupled by parallel links 14 7 and148 to another bracket 149 fixed to the rod 25 mounted in the frame ofthe apparatus on a bracket 27. Obviously as the arm 141 oscillates downand up during the opening and closing of the cigar runners 87 and 88,the bars and 14-6 will follow the top of the cigar row downwardly,snugly position the cigars on the previously stacked rows on platform1115 and then return to raised position to receive another row of cigarsthereunder as the cigars collect on the runners 87 and 88. As each rowof cigars is dropped to the stacking platform 105, the latter is indexeddownwardly a predetermined amount corresponding to the diameter of thecigars. When a selected number of rows have been so stacked a largepusher is activated against the ends of the cigars to slide them into aconventional collection box and the platform then is returned to itsuppermost or starting position. The mechanism for accomplishing thiswill now be described.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, the platform 105 s mounted onthe upper ends of a pair of vertical racks 15 1 and 152 and associatedgears 153 and 154 disposed between the racks and in mesh with eachother. The gear 153 is fixed to a shaft 155 provided with a singleacting spring clutch 15s normally engaged to permit onlycounter-clockwise rotation of the gear 153, hence clockwise rotation ofgear 154 and downward movement of the racks 151 and 152. The gear 154 isfixed to a shaft 157 provided with a single acting spring clutch 158which is normally disengaged and operatively engaged only duringdownward indexing of the racks 151 and 152.

"The spring clutch 158 is coupled to an arm 159 which is connected by alink 16% to the slotted end 161 of a lever 16 2 fulcrumed at its otherend to the machine frame at 163 and mounting at an intermediate portiona roller 164 which follows a cam 165 on the single revolution cam shaft124). The roller 164 is biased into contact with the cam by the tendencyof the spring clutch 158 to move into engaged position on shaft 157,although this can only occur when the cam roller 164 falls into a lowport1on of cam 165 during its intermittent single revolution. The degreeof oscillation of arm 159 determines the distance which the platform isindexed downward with each cam shaft revolution.

Associated with the spring clutch 156 on shaft 155 is a clutchdisengaging means operative to release the clutch and permit upwardmovement of the racks (after the cigars stacked on the platform havebeen transferred therefrom) under the bias of a counterweight 166 hung 7from a chain 167 which passes slidingly over a collar 168 on shaft 155and is Med to the hub 169 of gear 154 by means of a screw 170. Thedisengaging means for spring clutch 156 comprises an arm 171 pivoted atone end to the frame at 172 and having a short arm 173 depending fromthe pivot 172. This arm 173 is biased to the left (as viewed in FIG. 1)by a tension spring 174, the effect of which is to urge the free rollercarrying end 175 of arm 1'71 upwardly, this movement being limited by astop screw 176 cooperating with arm 173. At an intermediate portion ofarm 171 there is pivotally suspended a finger 177 which is adapted todisengage the spring clutch 156 after a stack of cigars has beentransferred from the platform 105 to permit the latter to return to itstopmost position. This action is controlled by the cigar stacktransferring means now to be described.

As the platform 105 is indexed downwardly after each row of cigars isstacked thereon, the platform moves between a pair of side plates 178and 179 mounted on frame members 180 and 181 thus preventing cigars fromdropping off the sides of the platform. The rear of the platform isdisposed adjacent a vertical stack pushing plate 182 normally held inretracted position and operative to reciprocate to transfer stacks ofcigars fromthe platform to a collection box only when the platform 105has bottomed.

The back of the pusher plate 182 is provided with a vertical pivot rod183 to which is hinged one edge of a vertical plate 184 pivoted at itsother edge at 18 to one edge of another vertical plate 186 which in turnis pivoted at its other edge to the machine frame at 187. The efiect ofthis arrangement is to provide an extensible stiffener member for thepusher plate 182 as it reciprocates during the transfer of cigars fromthe platform 105 into a collection box 188, the partial transfer of astack of cigars being shown in FIG. 8. The rear of the pusher plate 182is provided with bottom brackets 189 and 190 to which are hinged arms191 and 192 which extend diagonally up rearwardly and are pinned to ashaft 193 one end of which carries a fixed sprocket 194 connected by achain drive 196 to a sprocket 195 fixed against rotation by means ofscrewed connections 197' to a bracket 198. Additionally, a shaft 199freely oscillatable in the sprocket 195 is provided with a fixed arm 200which extends to and freely receives shaft 193 therethrough. Thearrangement just described is adapted to open and close the arms 191 and192 with respect to arm 200 as shaft 199 is oscillated so as toreciprocate the pusher plate 182 to and fro over the platform 105 whenthe latter is bottomed as shown in FIG. 8. The shaft 199 derives itsoscillatory motion from the cam shaft 120 through a cam 201 and itsassociated follower or roller 202 mounted on one end of a lever 203fulcrumed on a shaft 204 and coupled at its other end by means of avertical link 20 5 to a slotted arm 206 fixed to the shaft 199. Atension spring 207 working between the arm 206 and a lug 208 at thebottom of the accumulator frame tends to urge the cam roller 202 intoengagement with cam 201 so that each time the roller passes over a lowspot on the cam it will result in an oscillation of the pusher plateactuating shaft 199* to reciprocate the pusher plate 182. This action isonly required when the platform 105 is bottomed, so that the cam lever203 is normally inactivated by means of a latch 209 (FIGS. 1 and 4) inthe form of a depending arm 210 pivotally supported at 211 from a framemember 212 and being provided at its lower end with a shoulder 213 whichengages the underside of lever 203 and is normally so held by means of aU-shaped spring one end of which is fastened to an extension 215 of arm210, the other end working against a pin 216 on frame member 212. It isonly when the platform 105 is bottomed and presses down on spring 214that the latch 209 is swung away to release the cam lever 203 wherebythe pusher plate 182 may be reciprocated to transfer cigars from theplatform 105 to a collection box. Remaining features of 8 the apparatusof the present invention will be described in connection with thefollowing description of the operation of the apparatus in conjunctionwith the electrical control system illustrated in the wiring diagram ofFIG. 12.

Each time a cigar deposited on shelf 32 is pushed into the runners 87and 88 the finger 91 extending through the shelf closes the switch 96 tocause a counter or totalizer 217 to register the count and a steppercoil 218 to advance a rotary switch 219* one segment. This continuesuntil the rotary switch 219 reaches the contact F to which a full rowlead 220 is connected. Upon con tact with the full row lead 220, aholding relay 221 is energized to close relay contacts CR CR and CR withthe following results: Contact CR energizes a reset coil 222 returningthe rotary switch to zero; contact CR holds the circuit on the relay;and contact CR sets off the single revolution electrical clutch 132 bymeans of a solenoid 228 to cause one complete turn of the cam shaft 120.When this occurs, runners 87 and 88 swing apart to cause a row of cigarsto drop on the stacking platform and simultaneously runner 87 actuatesthe switch 10-6 to break the circuit on the holding relay 221 causingthe contacts CR CR and CR to open. Just before this breaking of theholding relay circuit, switch 123 is actuated by cam 119 to close andmaintain the relay circuit closed on the electrical clutch for thecompletion of one revolution. Switch 123 is only needed if an electricalclutch is employed.

As the row of cigars is dropped to the platform 105 the latter isindexed downward during the single revolution of the cam shaft 120. Thissequence automatically repeats itself until the required number of fullrows of cigars have been deposited on the platform 105.

If the required number of cigars to be stacked on the platform 105 issuch in relation to the width of the platform that the uppermost rowmust be only partially filled, there is provided a partial row lead 223'to that segment P of the rotary switch corresponding to the number ofcigars in a partial row. A switch 224 (see FIG. 1) in the partial rowlead circuit 223 is adapted to be closed by an adjustable actuator 225on platform rack 151 as the platform is indexed downward after theloading of the last full row of cigars. Thus the rotary switch 219 willenergize the holding relay 221 when the count of the row of cigars onthe runners 87 and 88 corresponds to the partial number required.

As the last row of cigars is dropped to the platform, be it a completeor partial row, the platform is indexed downward by the singlerevolution clutch on cam shaft 120. This causes a switch 226- (FIG. 1)to be closed by an actuator 227 adjustably mounted on the platform rack152. This energizes a row-dropper lock-out solenoid 229 and maintainscontinuous or clutching rotation of cam shaft whereby the platform 105keeps indexing downward until it is almost level with the bottom 230 ofthe collection box 188 removably supported on a bracket 231. At thislevel the platform biases the pusher plate lever latch spring 214downwardly causing the latch 209 to swing out and release the lever 203through which, during a single revolution of the cam 201 on shaft 120,the pusher plate 182 is caused to reciprocate forward and back over theplatform 105, as best seen in FIG. 8, thereby transferring the stackedcigars to the collection box 188 by pushing against the ends of thecigars. The collected box of cigars may then be removed and an empty boxmounted on the bracket 231 to receive the next stack of cigars.

As the pusher plate 182 reciprocates forwardly to transfer cigars fromthe platform 105 to the collection box 188, a horizontal flange 232extending from the bottom of the pusher 182 rides off the roller on thearm 171 associated with the disengaging means for the single actingspring clutch 156 on gear shaft 155. As this action takes place the arm171 pivots upward as viewed in FIG. 1 whereby its suspended finger 177,normally in idle position alongside a clutch disengaging pin 233 onspring clutch 156, swings over the pin to the position shown in FIG. 1.As the cigar stack pusher plate 182 reciprocates back after unloading astack of cigars from the platform 195, the bottom flange 232 of thepusher again rides over the roller 175 on arm 171 causing the finger 177to press against a pin 233 to disengage the clutch 156. When thisoccurs, the platform 105 is mechanically raised to its uppermostposition under the influence of the counterweight 166, the upperposition being determined by a lug 234 on counterweight chain 167 whichstrikes a pin 235 on the finger 177 to trip the finger away from theclutch 156, thereby permitting it to go into engagement and arrest theupward motion of the platform 105.

As the platform 105 begins to rise to starting position, the latch 209associated with the pusher plate lever latch 209 is permitted to swingback into normal locking engagement with the pusher plate lever 203, andthen there is repeated the entire sequence of collecting cigars in rows,stacking the rows on the platform 105 and indexing same downward,pushing a complete stack from the platform into a collection box andthen returning the platform to starting position.

It should be noted that the sequence of the foregoing operations iscontrolled solely by the number of cigars pushed olf the shelf 32 ontothe runners 87 and 88 beneath the endless collector belts. Therefore,the rate .and continuity of cigar delivery to the accumulator is of noconsequence. Moreover, cigars may also be removed from the top laps ofthe collector belts for occasional inspection without disrupting theoperation of the accumulator, and cigars that pass inspection may thenbe replaced in the belt pockets since the speed of the belts in relationto the delivery of cigars thereto insures generally empty belt pocketsbetween cigars.

The present invention also envisions improved means at the deliverystation of a conventional cigar machine for transferring cigars to theindependently operated accumulator of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10, the improved cigar delivery means 2is operated in synchronism with the cam drive of the wrapper die cuttingrollers of a conventional cigar making machine such as is disclosed, forexample, in the U.S. Letters Patent 2,405,867 granted August 13, 1946 toH. H. Wheeler. A wrapper die cutter cam 236 on a shaft 237 is providedwith a slot 233 which is tracked by a roller 239 on an arm 240 extendingfrom a rock shaft 241. To the latter shaft is also affixed a second arm242 mounting at it's extremity a pin 243 received between thebifurcations of a lug 244 depending from a boss 245 slidable on ahorizontal rod 246 disposed transversely of rock shaft 24-1 and fixed inbrackets 247 and 2 48 mounted on the cigar machine frame 249. Anintegral upward extension on boss 245 terminates in another boss 250 inwhich is fixed one end of a horizontal rod 251 reciprocable in a boss onbracket 248 and extending therethrough and terminating in a cap 253. Thecap of the rod is reciprocable along the bottom of a metal trough 254mounted on the cigar machine frame 249 beneath and extending across andbeyond a ramp or delivery chute 255 leading from the cigar knurlingstation of the cigar machine. As cigars are delivered onto ramp 255 theyroll down the inclined top edges of a pair of spaced plates 256 and 257mounted on the frame 249 in alignment with the sides of the ramp 2.55,whereby the cigars are smoothly transferred to the sloping side oftrough 2'54 and roll to the bottom of the latter. The reciprocatingpusher rod 251 is synchronized to push the cigars lengthwise along thebottom of the trough 254 to a location (see FIG. 2) where the cigar endsare properly aligned with the accumulator collector belts 3 and 4 fortransfer thereto.

A sprocket 258 journalled on cam shaft 237 is coupled by a chain drive25 9 to a sprocket 260 fixed to a shaft 261 which mounts a cam 262. Onearm 263 of a bell crank 254, pivoted at 266 in bracket 26 5, is providedwith a cam roller 267 biased against the cam 262 by means of a tensionspring 269 working between a pin 268 in the end of the other crank arm270 and a pin 271 extending from bracket 248. The crank arm 270 iscoupled by a link 272 to one arm 273 of a lever 274 fulcrumed to themachine frame at 275. The end of the other lever arm 276 is linked tothe bottom of a vertical rod 277 reciprocable through a guide lug 278extending from a bracket 279 and having fixed at its upper end ahorizontal bracket from which depend three finger-like rods 281 whichextend down through transverse slots 282 in trough 25 4. The bottom ofthe rods 28-1 are sloped forwardly in oblique relation to trough wall283 whereby upon vertical reciprocation of the rods 281 cigarspositioned before the rods by push rod 251 are raised to the top oftrough wall 286 whereupon the cigars roll down an inclined troughextension or ramp 284 into the pockets of the collector belts 3 and 4 ata location near the top of belt pulleys 5 and 7.

The preferred embodiment of the invention described and exemplifiedherein is illustrative only, as persons skilled in the art will haverecourse to various modifications and equivalent constructions withinthe scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for accumulating cigars as they are delivered from acigar making machine, comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacentthe cigar delivery station of a cigar making machine to collectdelivered cigars and convey them sideward to a discharge station, meansfor continuously driving said conveyor, means adjacent the dischargestation of the conveyor for accumulating discharged cigars in ahorizontal row, said last mentioned means including a pair of spacedhorizontal runners adapted to support the ends of cigars and areciprocable member operable in timed relation with the conveyor forpushing discharged cigars onto said runners, means for counting thecigars as they are pushed onto said runners, means operable after apredetermined number of cigars have accumulated on said runners tomomentarily spread said runners and drop the row of cigars, a platformdisposed beneath said runners fo'r stacking rows of cigars, and meansoperable in synchronism with the runner spreading means to index theplatform downwardly a predetermined distance corresponding to thediameter of a cigar.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 including means operable at thelowermost position of the platform for transferring stacked rows ofcigars lengthwise thereof into a removable collection box.

3. An apparatus for stacking cigars as the latter are delivered from acigar making machine, comprising an endless conveyor for collectingdelivered cigars and conveying them laterally to a discharge station, ahorizontal support at the discharge station on which cigars aredeposited, drive means for said conveyor, a pair of spaced horizontalrunners extending from said horizontal support, a horizontallyreciprocable pusher disposed above said horizontal support and operablein timed relation with said conveyor to push cigars laterally from thehorizontal support onto the runners in a row, means for counting thecigars as they are pushed onto the runners, means operable at apredetermined cigar count to spread the runners momentarily to drop arow of cigars, a horizontal platform mounted below the runners forstacking dropped rows of cigars, said platform being reciprocablevertically, and means operable in synchronism with the runner spreadingmeans for stepping the platform downwardly a distance approximately thediameter of a cigar.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, including a horizontallyreciprocable plate mounted vertically adjacent a platform edgetransverse to stacked cigars, means operable When the platform hascleared the lower edge 11 of the plate to reciprocate said plate to pushstacked rows of cigars off the platform, and removable means mountedadjacent the platform for receiving a cigar stack as it is pushed offthe platform.

5.A cigar accumulator of the character described, comprising a supportframe, an endless conveyor belt travelling over pulleys mounted on saidframe with means for driving said belt, said belt being provided withcigar receiving pockets for conveying cigars laterally, a shelf on saidframe adjacent one end of the conveyor'for the deposit of cigars as theyare discharged from the conveyor, a pair of parallel horizontal runnersextending from said shelf and being spaced apart less than the length ofa cigar, a reciprocable cigar pusher mounted for reciprocation over saidshelf and operable in timed relation with the conveyor to push cigarslaterally onto said runners, means for counting cigars as they arepushed along the runners, a vertically repicrocable platform mountedbeneath said runners, means operable at a predetermined cigar count tospread the runners momentarily and permit a row of cigars to drop to theunderlying platform, means operable in synchronism with the runnerspreading means for stepping the platform down a distance approximatelythe diameter of a cigar whereby to stack rows of cigars, means operableafter a predetermined number of rows have been stacked to maintain theplatform stepping means operative and travel the platform down to cigarstack tran fer level, and means operable at said transfer level to pusha stack of cigars off the platform.

6. A cigar accumulator according to claim in which the cigar countingmeans includes a pivotable member yieldably mounted in normallyinterfering relation to cigars as they are pushed onto the runners, anelectrical relay coupled to said pivotable member, and a counter androtary switch in a circuit controlled by said relay.

7. A cigar accumulator according to claim 6, which includeselectro-mechanical means for spreading the runners, said means includinga relay circuit energizable when the rotary switch is stepped to thecontact which corresponds to the predetermined count of a row of cigarson the runners.

8. A cigar accumulator according to claim 7, which includeselectro-mechanical means for stepping down the platform, said meansincluding a relay circuit energizable by the rotary switch.

9. A cigar accumulator according to claim 8, including means foroperatively locking the platform stepping means after the last of apredetermined number of rows of cigars have been deposited on theplatform and continuously stepping the platform down to cigar stacktransfer level.

10. A cigar accumulator according to claim 5, in which the means forpushing a cigar stack off the platform includes a vertical plate mountedalongside a platform edge transverse to stacked cigars, andelectro-mechanical means for reciprocating the plate across theplatform,

said reciprocating means being normally locked in inoperative position,releasable by the platform at stack transfer level and including a relaycircuit energizable by the rotary switch.

11. A cigar accumulator comprising a pair of endless conveyors withmeans for driving same, mounted sideby-side on a frame for generallyhorizontal travel and spaced apart about the length of a cigar, one endof said conveyors being adapted to be positioned adjacent the cigardelivery station of a cigar making machine, said conveyors beingprovided with transversely alined pockets to receive the ends of cigarsand thereby convey them laterally to the discharge end of the conveyors,a shelf mounted adjacent and beneath the bottom laps of the conveyors atthe discharge end to which cigars are dropped from the conveyors, a pairof horizontal runners extending from the shelf horizontally beneath theconveyors and being spaced to receive the ends of cigars, a reciprocablecigar pusher operated in timed relation with the conveyors to pushcigars from the shelf onto the platform, a vertically reciprocableplatform mounted below said runners and extending the length thereof,means operatively related to a predetermined number of cigars on therunners to momentarily spread the runners to drop a row of cigars to theunderlying platform and to simultaneously step the platform down adistance approximately the diameter of a cigar, means operativelyrelated to the number of rows of cigars stacked on the platform totravel the platform down to a stack transfer level, and means actuatedby the platform at said transfer level to slide a stack of cigars offthe platform into a collection box removably mounted adja cent theplatform.

12. A cigar accumulator according to claim 11, including means foralining the ends of the cigars, said means including a reciprocablemember operatively timed with the conveyors and mounted adjacent thedischarge end thereof to reciprocate transversely thereof toward andaway from one of the conveyors whereby to push ends of cigars touniformly aline them as the cigars pass said reciprocating member.

13. A cigar accumulator according to claim 11, including stationaryguide means at the discharge end of the conveyors to guide cigars to theshelf.

14. A cigar accumulator according to claim 11, including a pair ofparallel elongated bars mounted with slight clearance above the tops ofcigars on runners, and operatively reciprocable down and up during themomentary spread of the runners to engage the tops of a row of cigarsand insure their uniform deposition on the platform.

15. A cigar accumulator according to claim 14, in

which the runners are provided with stationary guide members to maintainthe. cigar ends in alinement while 'being formed in a row.

tion to permit only downward movement of the racks,

a second single acting clutch operatively coupled to the other gear innormally disengaged position and operative when engaged to rotate itsassociated gear to move the racks down.

17. A cigar accumulator according to claim 16, in which said secondclutch is engageable and oscillatable through an are equivalent to thevertical distance the platform is dropped when a row of cigars isdeposited thereon, said oscillating engagement of said second clutchbeing controlled by means of a single revolution cam shaft and an arm onthe clutch linked to a cam follower, said cam shaft being normallyrotatable through only onerevolution by the means operatively related tothe number of cigars on the runners above the platform.

18. A cigar accumulator according to claim 17, in which the cam shaft iscontinuously rotatable by the means operatively related to the number ofrows of cigars stacked on the platform.

19. A cigar accumulator according to claim 16, in which the means toslide a stack of cigars ofl? the platform includes a vertical pusherplate reciprocable across the platform at the stack transfer level ofthe latter, including means operable by the platform after beingretracted to disengage the first single acting clutch, and biasing meanscoupled to one gear for rotating said gears to cause upward travel ofthe racks.

20. A cigar accumulator according to claim 19, in which the biasingmeans is a counterweight suspended from a chain attached to a gear hub.

21. A cigar accumulator according to claim 20, in which 13 the chain isprovided with a lug to trip the means disengaging the first clutchwhereby to arrest upward move ment of the platform on the gear racks.

22. The method of accumulating and stacking cigars as they are deliveredfrom a cigar making machine, which comprises delivering the cigarssuccessively to pockets of a conveyor belt of an accumulator drivenindependently of the cigar machine and at a speed such that the beltpockets pass the cigar delivery station at a rate at least approximatelytwice that of cigar delivery from the cigar machine, depositing saidcigars from the belt onto a horizontal support and synchronously withthe rate of travel of belt pockets clearing said horizontal support of acigar which may be deposited thereon by pushing said cigar into a rowformer past a counting device, and dropping said row of cigars to a rowstacking platform when a predetermined number of cigars have been 14counted without interrupting the travel of the collector belt.

23. The method of claim 22, which includes indexing the stackingplatform down approximately the depth of a row of cigars each time a rowof cigars is dropped thereon.

24. The method of claim 23, which includes transferring the stacked rowsof cigars to a collection box after a predetermined number of rows havebeen stacked, and

10 returning the stacking platform to original position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 152,765,896 Peterson Oct. 9, 1956 2,917,156 Pollmann Oct. 15, 19592,919,529 Gukknab Jan. 5, 1960 2,938,317 Hillmau May 31, 1960

1. AN APPARATUS FOR ACCUMULATING CIGARS AS THEY ARE DELIVERED FROM ACIGAR MAKING MACHINE, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR DISPOSED ADJACENTTHE CIGAR DELIVERY STATION OF A CIGAR MAKING MACHINE TO COLLECTDELIVERED CIGARS AND CONVEY THEM SIDEWARD TO A DISCHARGE STATION, MEANSFOR CONTINUOUSLY DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR, MEANS ADJACENT THE DISCHARGESTATION OF THE CONVEYOR FOR ACCUMULATING DISCHARGED CIGARS IN AHORIZONTAL ROW, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACEDHORIZONTAL RUNNERS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE ENDS OF CIGARS AND ARECIPROCABLE MEMBER OPERABLE IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE CONVEYOR OFPUSHING DISCHARGED CIGARS ONTO SAID RUNNERS, MEANS FOR COUNTING THECIGARS AS THEY ARE PUSHED ONTO SAID RUNNERS, MEANS OPERABLE AFTER APREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CIGARS HAVE ACCUULATED ON SAID RUNNERS TOMOMENTARILY SPREAD SAID RUNNERS AND DROP THE ROW OF CIGARS, A PLATFORMDISPOSED BENEATH SAID RUNNERS FOR STACKING ROWS OF CIGARS, AND MEANSOPERABLE IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE RUNNER SPREADING MEANS TO INDEX THEPLATFORM DOWNWARDLY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE CORRESPONDING TO THEDIAMETER OF A CIGAR.
 22. THE METHOD OF ACCUMULATING AND STACKING CIGARSAS THEY ARE DELIVERED FROM A CIGAR MAKING MACHINE, WHICH COMPRISESDELIVERING THE CIGARS SUCCESSIVELY TO POCKETS OF A CONVEYOR BELT OF ANACCUMULATOR DRIVEN INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CIGAR MACHINE AND AT A SPEEDSUCH THAT THE BELT POCKETS PASS THE CIGAR DELIVERY STATION AT A RATE ATLEAST APPROXIMATELY TWICE THAT OF CIGAR DELIVERY FROM THE CIGAR MACHINE,DEPOSITING SAID CIGARS FROM THE BELT ONTO A HORIZONTAL SUPPORT ANDSYNCHRONOUSLY WITH THE RATE OF TRAVEL OF BELT POCKETS CLEARING SAIDHORIZONTAL SUPPORT OF A CIGAR WHEN MAY BE DEPOSITED THEREON BY PUSHINGSAID CIGAR INTO A ROW FORMER PAST, COUNTING DEVICE, AND DROPPING SAIDROW OF CIGARS TO A ROW STACKING PLATFORM WHEN A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OFCIGARS HAVE BEEN COUNTED WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE TRAVEL OF THECOLLECTOR BELT.